Rent allowance caps ‘pushing families to brink of homelessness’

Thousands of families are at risk of losing their homes because of caps on rent allowance, homeless charity Focus Ireland has warned

The charity said some of the measures in Tuesday’s budget will help but it has urged the Government to take swift action on the rent supplement issue to avert a major crisis.

The call comes ahead of Focus Ireland’s annual fundraising sleep-out in Dublin and Cork tonight, supported by Aviva.

Business leaders and politicians who have volunteered to take part in the Shine A Light Night will be given two pieces of cardboard and a plastic sheet before spending the night sleeping rough.

“We will have them from 7pm to 7am and it will give them a taste of what it’s like living on the streets,” Focus Ireland spokesman in Cork, Thos O’Leary said.

Focus Ireland has been working in Cork since 2008 providing a number of homes for people who were homeless or at risk of losing their homes.

The charity had to expand its services in Cork last year as more people got into difficulties with mortgages or rents. It launched a full-time advice and information service which now deals with more than 110 enquiries every month.

In the early stages, most of the calls came from individuals, but the charity said it fields more calls from families who are on the brink of homelessness.

Mr O’Leary said the trends which emerged in Dublin, which is in the grip of a major homeless crisis, are also being seen in Cork.

“The Government might be telling us that the recession is over but the homeless crisis is getting worse,” said Mr O’Leary.

“We know from our work that early access to advice and information can help to prevent many families and individuals from losing their home in the first place.”

Recent figures from Focus Ireland show that the number of families becoming homeless has more than doubled in recent months, and that one in every seven people who access a homeless services is a child.

Tonight’s sleep-outs will take place simultaneously in Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens and in Cork’s City Gaol.

Among those taking part in the Cork event are John Quinlan of Aviva; Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer; deputy Lord Mayor Ken O’Flynn; Co Cork mayor Alan Coleman; Cameo PR executive Renate Murphy; with RedFM senior producer Emer O’Hea-Martin; Cork Opera House chief executive Mary Hickson; Roisín McGoldrick of LCE Training; Ann-Marie Fleming of Nova Broadband; and UCC student union leader Mark Stanton.

Focus Ireland said 89c of every euro raised by the participants will go directly to fund its projects. The charity helped more than 10,000 people in 2013 — a 25% increase on the previous year.

Meanwhile, about 30 Crosshaven Girl Guides will hold a sleep-out in Cuskinny Court Activity Centre near Cobh tonight.

• www.focusireland.ie